The Highlands are an absolute haven for wildlife - keep an eye out for ospreys, tawny owls, pine martins, red squirrels, red and roe deer, otters and even basking seals!

If you fancy taking in a bit local hospitality, you should pay a visit to the picturesque local Dores Inn, just a few minutes walk away, for food and refreshment, or explore a bit further afield at Fort Augustus. Inverness itself has good road and rail links, as well as a programme of interesting exhibitions at the Inverness Museum and Gallery.

The famous Loch Ness is 23 miles long, a mile wide and 750 feet down at its deepest point! Why not take a stroll along the south shore to take in the stunning scenery and do some monster spotting? For something more strenuous you can walk along the South Loch Ness Trail, which starts a few miles outside of Fort Augustus and runs through Dores itself, ending at Torbreck near Inverness. The route is 28 miles in total and you can even cycle along parts of it, as well as along many of the quiet roads in the area which are ideal for bicycles. You could also consider the more ambitious Great Glen Way which runs down the north side of Loch Ness and you can explore by water too, by boat, canoe or kayak.

Day trips to Ullapool, Fort William and even Orkney and Skye are easily achievable from the cottage. Towering above Fort William lies the imposing Ben Nevis, the collapsed dome of a volcano, known locally as 'The Ben'. The name for this, the highest mountain in the British Isles, is taken from the Gaelic 'Beinn Nibheis' - 'Beinn' being mountain and 'Nibheis' meaning 'malicious' or 'venomous'. With the summit being up at 4,409 feet, where the ruins of an old observatory lie, it certainly is quite a challenge!

History enthusiasts will want to visit the Culloden battle field, with its visitor centre, exhibition and daily living history presentations. There are also watersports, fishing and golf locally, as well as skiing at Aviemore in the Cairngorms. You can take a boat trip from Inverness to go bottlenose dolphin spotting, or if you fancy sampling a 'wee dram' you can join a whisky trail at one of the local distilleries, the nearest being the Glen Ord distillery.